US 36 Emergency Flood Project Update

May 19, 2014 - Northeastern Colorado/CDOT Region 4 - No work planned for the Memorial Day weekend on the US 36 Emergency Flood Project between Lyons and Estes Park.

BOULDER/LARIMER COUNTIES - The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration - Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFLHD) are continuing weekday and night work on the U.S. 36 Emergency Flood Reconstruction project between Lyons and Estes Park.  This coming week, crews will be performing rip rap, embankment, and culvert installation activities throughout the work zone.  There will be no construction work during the Memorial Day weekend from noon on Friday, May 23, to 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 27.  The following delays should be expected this week on US 36 between Lyons and Estes Park (weather permitting):

  • Saturday, May 17: stops of 30 minutes
  • Sunday, May 18: Stops of 30 minutes
  • Monday, May 19 through Thursday, May 22:  from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.: stops of 15 minutes; Friday, May 23: from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.: stops of 15 minutes
  • Monday, May 19 through Thursday, May 22: from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.: stops of one hour; Friday from 8 a.m. to noon: stops of one hour (No work from noon on Friday, May 23, to 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 27 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.)
  • Monday, May 19 through Thursday, May 22 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night: Stops of 30 minutes
  • Saturday, May 24: no work

During blasting activities, crews will be loosening sections of the mountainside and then removing the loosened materials from the roadway. On average, the highway will be moved inland away from the river 20 feet, with the range varying between five and 50 feet. Altogether, an expected 250,000 cubic yards of material is expected to be removed (the equivalent of 250,000 dishwashers). The materials will be recycled and used to not only stabilize the embankment below the highway, but to stabilize the river channel. Leftover materials will be donated to other area reconstruction projects by towns and counties still recovering from the flood, including the County Road 80 (Longmont Dam Road) project underway by Boulder County and the city of Longmont. Unfortunately, no materials are available for donation to private citizens.

Throughout the duration of construction, cyclists are not permitted on U.S. 36 within the work zones, and several trail access points will be closed for safety. Other flood-impacted highways will remain open for cyclists, who ride at their own risk and are urged to ride using extra caution.
American Civil Constructors, Inc. of Littleton, CO is the project contractor.